Mental Health Awareness Week

10 May 2021

At Veritau we are supporting and celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week

This year’s theme is nature and how connecting with the natural world can support good mental health.

Today marks the launch of Mental Health Awareness Week, the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health.

The week, which is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, is in its 21st year and runs from 10-16 May.

Across the country, people will be celebrating the mental health benefits of being around nature in their local community in a range of digital and creative ways.

Within Veritau, we have four mental health first aiders who are currently working on action plans to be able to further support staff.

During lockdown we have run several activities to keep our staff connected and keep morale up, such as virtual lunch n learn sessions, monthly quizzes, a staff newsletter and regular catch-ups.

Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said:

“Mental Health Awareness Week has grown to be one of the biggest awareness weeks in the UK. This year the theme is on nature and its central role for our mental health.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, millions of us turned to nature to help us get through lockdowns and our research shows that good mental health depends on us being able to connect with nature in some way and its power in both prevention of and recovery from poor mental health.”

Some of the ways the foundation suggests people can participate in Mental Health Awareness Week:

• During Mental Health Awareness Week, why not try to make a habit each day of connecting to the nature in your local area? Stop to listen to the birdsong, smell the freshly cut grass, take care of a house plant, notice any trees, flowers or animals nearby. Take a moment to appreciate these connections.
• Share images, videos or just sound recordings of the nature on your doorstep (and how this made you feel) on social media using #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
• Use Mental Health Foundation resources in your family, school, workplace and community to join with thousands of people who will be finding new ways to connect with nature in their local environment. One example is using their nature journal.

For more information about this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week visit mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw